Ethan said, “I’ve recorded everything, Mia. Every word.”The room fell into a heavy silence. Mia's smirk disappeared. Her playful gaze turned sharp—dangerous.“You really want to play it that way, Ethan?” she asked, her voice low and venomous.Ethan didn’t flinch. He kept his phone in his hand, thumb hovering near the send button. One click, and everything would be out—every secret.Mia slowly turned her head toward Kain. She didn’t need to speak again. One small nod was enough.Kain moved very fast, like a shadow, trying to grab the phone.Ethan’s heart kicked into overdrive. He stepped back, knocking over a chair. The phone almost slipped from his fingers. Kain’s boots barely made a sound on the floor.“You’re making a mistake,” Ethan said, his voice shaking just a little. “If you touch me, this recording goes out to everyone.”Mia laughed, cold and sharp. “You think I care about exposure? I built my life on lies. You think one truth will burn it down?”Ethan smirked. “I will do it.
Olive’s body dangles in Mia’s grip, her breaths shallow, skin pale, eyes fluttering. The cold werehouse feels far too quiet, save for the slow drip… drip… drip of water falling from some leaking part of the roof.. Her body sways like a marionette, held upright only by the ruthless grip around her neck.Her thoughts are scattered fragments—a broken mirror of fear and desperation.“I must live… for the child.”The words echo in her mind, louder than the sound of her faltering heartbeat. Every inch of her body is in pain, but it’s the icy fear slicing through her core that makes her tremble. Her free hand inches toward her belly as if it could shield the life within.Mia’s face hovers too close, her smile twisted and triumphant, the scalpel gleaming under the low lights. "Such a fragile little thing," she whispers, almost fondly. “It’s poetic, really—sacrificing one to punish another.”Olive’s lips part. No words come, only a hoarse whisper of breath. Her eyes beg, not for mercy, but for
Olive lay limp on the floor, her breath shallow, her limbs twitching from the pain. Her blood pooled beneath her, soaking into the cracked concrete like spilled wine. Above her, Mia crouched with a predator’s grin, her face twisted in sick delight.“Poor girl,” Mia cooed, tilting Olive’s chin up with the tip of a knife. “I warned you not to get involved.”A heavy silence fell—unnatural and still.Bang!The silence shattered.Mia barely turned before a blur of fury crashed into her. Raymond. His roar ripped through the warehouse like a storm, his body slamming into hers with a savage force that knocked the breath from her lungs.She stumbled back—but he was faster. His hand locked around her throat, hoisting her into the air like she weighed nothing.“Mia!” he snarled, his voice venom-laced and unrecognizable. “Touch her again—I dare you.”Mia struggled to break free, her eyes wide with fear. She tried to pull his arm away, but he held tight, his strength fueled by a deep-seated anger
Tires screeched against the asphalt as Raymond’s SUV skidded to a halt in front of the hospital entrance. The engine was still running when Raymond flung the door open.“Help!” he bellowed, his voice raw. “Someone help me!”Nurses and doctors on the night shift bolted outside, a few pushing a stretcher as fast as their legs could carry them. The emergency lights overhead painted the scene in alternating glows of red and blue, throwing shadows across Raymond’s pale, blood-splattered face.A nurse reached them, and Olive was still in the back seat, her body slumped, barely conscious—limp, lips parted, skin ghostly pale.“She’s losing blood fast,” one nurse said, already checking her pulse. “We need to move now!”Raymond stood frozen for a second, his driver had gripped the wheel the whole drive over. The driver had run red lights, ignored horns, nearly crashed into a divider—did anything to get her here fast. And still, it felt like time had betrayed them.“Sir, we need you to step bac
The day before her wedding, Olive Bennett couldn’t contain her excitement. Her white lace wedding gown hung neatly on the closet door, and her veil lay folded on the bed. Everything she had ever dreamed of was about to come true—marrying Frank, the man she had loved for six years, in front of friends and family. She glanced at the clock. Delilah, her stepsister, was supposed to help her with last-minute wedding details, but she was late, as usual. Olive sighed and decided to make herself some tea. The apartment was quiet except for the faint hum of the refrigerator. As she stirred honey into her tea, Olive’s phone buzzed on the kitchen counter. It was Frank. “Hey, babe,” she answered cheerfully. “Hey, I left my cufflinks at your place,” Frank said. “Mind if I swing by and grab them?” Olive smiled. “Sure. They’re in the bedroom drawer. I’ll leave the door unlocked.” “Thanks. I’ll be there in ten.” Olive decided to take a quick shower before Frank arrived. She left her phon
The following morning, Olive woke up to the sound of her phone buzzing incessantly on the coffee table. She had fallen asleep on the couch, her face streaked with dried tears. Her eyes burned, and her head throbbed as she groggily reached for the phone. A flood of messages and missed calls greeted her. Most were from concerned friends and family checking on last-minute wedding details. But there was one from Frank, and just seeing his name made her stomach churn. We need to talk. Call me. Olive stared at the message, her heart heavy with anger and pain. What more was there to say? She had seen everything she needed to. She tossed the phone aside and sank back into the couch, burying her face in her hands. The betrayal was still fresh, the memory of Frank and Diana together replaying in her mind like a broken record. Delilah’s smirk, her mocking words, and the damning pregnancy test result—all of it left Olive feeling raw and exposed. Olive decided she couldn’t stay in the apartmen
Olive adjusted the strap of her suitcase as she maneuvered through the crowded airport. The din of announcements over the intercom and the bustling of passengers filled the air. Her chest felt heavy, weighed down by the betrayal and heartbreak that had unraveled her life in just a matter of hours. Each step felt like she was leaving behind the fragments of a dream she had clung to for years—a life with Frank, a family she thought she could trust. But that dream was dead now, and she had to move forward.She gripped her boarding pass tightly, as if it were her lifeline. Her destination was New York City. It wasn’t a place she’d dreamed of living, but it was far enough from the chaos she was escaping. It was a city big enough to lose herself in, to start over without the judgmental stares and whispered rumors that would undoubtedly follow her back home.Olive inhaled deeply as she stopped at a coffee counter to order something warm. The sleepless night had drained her, leaving her jitte
Olive stood at the window of her temporary hotel room, staring out at the city that was both foreign and overwhelming. New York’s endless buzz felt like a cruel mirror of the turmoil inside her. Her fingers drummed on the edge of the windowpane as her mind reeled from everything that had unfolded.This city was supposed to be her escape. It was supposed to be a place where she could start fresh, leave her broken engagement and family betrayals behind, and figure out what to do next. But instead of finding peace, she was now saddled with a mystery pregnancy and a gnawing fear that her life was spiraling out of control.“I need to find a place,” she murmured, pacing the room. Living in a hotel felt too transient, too uncertain. She needed stability, even if only the kind a proper apartment could offer.---The search for a new home consumed most of her day. Olive wandered through neighborhoods, touring cramped apartments and overpriced studios. Nothing felt right. The city was bustling,
Tires screeched against the asphalt as Raymond’s SUV skidded to a halt in front of the hospital entrance. The engine was still running when Raymond flung the door open.“Help!” he bellowed, his voice raw. “Someone help me!”Nurses and doctors on the night shift bolted outside, a few pushing a stretcher as fast as their legs could carry them. The emergency lights overhead painted the scene in alternating glows of red and blue, throwing shadows across Raymond’s pale, blood-splattered face.A nurse reached them, and Olive was still in the back seat, her body slumped, barely conscious—limp, lips parted, skin ghostly pale.“She’s losing blood fast,” one nurse said, already checking her pulse. “We need to move now!”Raymond stood frozen for a second, his driver had gripped the wheel the whole drive over. The driver had run red lights, ignored horns, nearly crashed into a divider—did anything to get her here fast. And still, it felt like time had betrayed them.“Sir, we need you to step bac
Olive lay limp on the floor, her breath shallow, her limbs twitching from the pain. Her blood pooled beneath her, soaking into the cracked concrete like spilled wine. Above her, Mia crouched with a predator’s grin, her face twisted in sick delight.“Poor girl,” Mia cooed, tilting Olive’s chin up with the tip of a knife. “I warned you not to get involved.”A heavy silence fell—unnatural and still.Bang!The silence shattered.Mia barely turned before a blur of fury crashed into her. Raymond. His roar ripped through the warehouse like a storm, his body slamming into hers with a savage force that knocked the breath from her lungs.She stumbled back—but he was faster. His hand locked around her throat, hoisting her into the air like she weighed nothing.“Mia!” he snarled, his voice venom-laced and unrecognizable. “Touch her again—I dare you.”Mia struggled to break free, her eyes wide with fear. She tried to pull his arm away, but he held tight, his strength fueled by a deep-seated anger
Olive’s body dangles in Mia’s grip, her breaths shallow, skin pale, eyes fluttering. The cold werehouse feels far too quiet, save for the slow drip… drip… drip of water falling from some leaking part of the roof.. Her body sways like a marionette, held upright only by the ruthless grip around her neck.Her thoughts are scattered fragments—a broken mirror of fear and desperation.“I must live… for the child.”The words echo in her mind, louder than the sound of her faltering heartbeat. Every inch of her body is in pain, but it’s the icy fear slicing through her core that makes her tremble. Her free hand inches toward her belly as if it could shield the life within.Mia’s face hovers too close, her smile twisted and triumphant, the scalpel gleaming under the low lights. "Such a fragile little thing," she whispers, almost fondly. “It’s poetic, really—sacrificing one to punish another.”Olive’s lips part. No words come, only a hoarse whisper of breath. Her eyes beg, not for mercy, but for
Ethan said, “I’ve recorded everything, Mia. Every word.”The room fell into a heavy silence. Mia's smirk disappeared. Her playful gaze turned sharp—dangerous.“You really want to play it that way, Ethan?” she asked, her voice low and venomous.Ethan didn’t flinch. He kept his phone in his hand, thumb hovering near the send button. One click, and everything would be out—every secret.Mia slowly turned her head toward Kain. She didn’t need to speak again. One small nod was enough.Kain moved very fast, like a shadow, trying to grab the phone.Ethan’s heart kicked into overdrive. He stepped back, knocking over a chair. The phone almost slipped from his fingers. Kain’s boots barely made a sound on the floor.“You’re making a mistake,” Ethan said, his voice shaking just a little. “If you touch me, this recording goes out to everyone.”Mia laughed, cold and sharp. “You think I care about exposure? I built my life on lies. You think one truth will burn it down?”Ethan smirked. “I will do it.
Raymond raises a brow, his voice laced with disbelief. "What do you mean?"Mia smirks, her eyes gleaming with dark amusement. She steps closer, as she spoke "oh, Raymond, you can't be that dumb, right? You heard me clearly."Raymond's stomach knots, but he refuses to show weakness. He squares his shoulders, his gaze locked onto hers. "If this is one of your twisted games, Mia, I swear—""Swear what?" She interrupts, tilting her head with feigned curiosity. "That you'll make me pay? she chuckles, "Raymond, darling, you’re already caught in my trap. There’s no walking away.""I never trusted you Mia, but I never thought you are this demonic" he says in a low dangerous tone.Mia sighs dramatically. "Yes, you never did. But your grandfather did and that was your family first mistake.”Raymond glares at Mia, his voice a low growl. "Mia, you've made me believe for years that I was the cause of your inability to have children."Mia tilts his chin up with her fingers, her touch almost affect
Olive's body became very stiff. She was so scared. She wrapped her arms around her tummy. She felt sick.Olive couldn't breathe properly. She took short breaths. Her eyes went blurry. She felt like she was going to faint.Raymond was very angry. He shouted loudly, "Mia, don't you dare!" But Mia just laughed. Her laugh was mean and scary.Mia looked at Olive's tummy. She looked excited, but in a bad way. "Should we start?" she whispered. Her voice sent chills down everyone's spines.Delilah smirked, tilting her head as she stared at Olive. The fear in Olive’s eyes only fueled her amusement.“Oh, poor baby,” Delilah murmured, her voice laced with mock sympathy. “Didn’t even get to see this world.”Olive’s breath hitched. She clutched her belly instinctively, as if her hands alone could protect the life growing inside her. Tears burned at the corners of her eyes, but she refused to cry in front of Delilah.Delilah crouched in front of her, gripping her chin between two fingers. “I wonder
Ezra received a text message: They’re under watch. Raymond’s men have arrived.Ethan clenched his fists as Ezra relay the message to him, his mind racing. Was this spiraling out of control? It couldn’t be a coincidence that Mia was more agitated today. She had been waiting for this moment, and now, with Raymond’s men circling, things had turned lethal.“Mia is hell-bent on killing Olive,” Ezra whispered, his voice barely audible over the distant hum of city life. “This is bad, Ethan.”Ethan exhaled sharply, forcing himself to think. There was no room for error. They needed to be sure Olive was really their sister before doing anything else.And Mia wasn’t going to make things easy for them.We need to act fast, Ethan thought. Just then, Mia’s voice cut through his thoughts.“What’s the problem, Ethan? Can I proceed from where I stopped?” she asked, a wicked laugh curling her lips.“Mia, I think you need to be rational right now,” Ethan said, his voice measured, his eyes darting betwee
Olive’s breath came in shallow gasps, but she refused to let her exhaustion show. Her body ached from the bruises, her limbs heavy with fatigue, yet her spirit stood unyielding. Her narrowed eyes locked onto Mia, who loomed over her like a predator savoring its prey."What do you want?" Olive’s voice, though hoarse, cut through the tense air like a blade.Mia smirked. "Still defiant? After everything?" She crouched slightly, her dark eyes gleaming with amusement. "That’s what I like about you, Olive. Even at your lowest, you still pretend to have control."Olive didn’t flinch. She wouldn’t. If she gave in now, it was over.Mia sighed dramatically. "You really are a stubborn little thing." Her gaze flickered to Olive’s stomach for a fraction of a second—barely noticeable, but Olive caught it.A chill ran down her spine.The unspoken threat in Mia’s stare sent ice through her veins, but she swallowed down her fear, keeping her face unreadable.Mia noticed. "Oh? That struck a nerve, didn
“You will soon find out.” Raymond’s face tightened, his teeth grinding together. Mia’s words kept repeating in his head. They sounded like a warning, or maybe even a threat. Take him to the car. Let him see his beloved. Mia grinned as she walked away gracefully. Kain and Kerah exchanged silent glances before signaling the men to drag him forward. They held him tightly and made him walk to the car. He barely resisted as they shoved him into the backseat, wedging him between two towering brutes. The car door shut loudly, trapping him inside. The engine roared as the car sped away. The interior was silent, the only sound the hum of the wheels on the road. The city lights faded behind them, and the earlier rain had left the weather dark and quiet. Raymond’s heart pounded, his mind racing with worry. Olive.He hadn’t forgotten why he was here. Raymond seethed with anger, his fingers twitching as he tested the ropes binding him. His captors remained silent, but he could feel th